SKOWHEGAN (AP) – Fire destroyed the Maine Army National Guard armory Wednesday, destroying equipment for troops preparing to deploy to the Middle East next month.

Flames could be seen 70 feet into the air soon after the fire was reported at 6:24 p.m., area residents said.

Lt. Col. John J. Jansen, commander of the 133rd Engineering Battalion, told the Morning-Sentinel it’s unclear what started the fire.

The fire appeared to start in the area of a boiler room, then quickly spread.

The 133rd Engineering Battalion, Maine’s largest guard unit, is scheduled for deployment to the Middle East on Dec. 7 for up to 18 months.

The battalion is based in Gardiner and has companies and platoons in Portland, Belfast, Skowhegan, Westbrook, Lewiston and Norway.

Power tools, weapons and equipment stored for deployment were lost, National Guard Staff Sgt. Chad Steward said.

“The whole drill hall was full of tools,” he said. “Half of the company’s equipment was here, the other half is in Belfast. It’s heart-wrenching. At least 50 percent of our inventory is lost.”

Armory vehicles were not damaged in the fire. No injuries were reported.

The unit will consolidate equipment from other units and deploy on schedule, Jansen said.

AP-ES-11-26-03 2305EST